Hand Control Image For Replication

Abstract

A system and method for a display in the gaze-forward position of a vehicle operator, showing hand position relative to various control inputs or hand positions relative to a control surface. The hand replication system includes a control input device, a display displaying an image of the control input device, an optical input device directed to capturing an actual image of the control input device and providing the actual image output to one of a display or a processor. The method of providing an image of an operators hand relative to a control panel within the line of sight of the vehicle operator includes the steps of providing a display, providing an optical input device, obtaining an actual image of the control panel with the optical input device, and providing the actual image of the control panel to the display.

1 . A hand replication system for vehicles comprising:
 a control input device;   a display located remotely from said control input device and displaying an image of said control input device;   an optical input device directed to and optically focused approximately on said control input device and capturing an actual image and providing said actual image output to said processor; and   a processor in electronic communication with said control input device and an optical input device.   
     
     
         2 . The hand replication system for vehicles of  claim 1  wherein said processor includes a memory module having a stored image of an unobstructed control input device. 
     
     
         3 . The hand replication system for vehicles of  claim 1  wherein said processor provides a blended image of said stored image from said memory module and said actual image from said optical input device to said display. 
     
     
         4 . A vehicle comprising:
 an instrument panel including a display in the line of sight of the vehicle operator;   a control input located out of the line of sight of the vehicle operator; and   an optical input device in electronic communication with said display and directed at said control input for displaying said control input on said display.   
     
     
         5 . The vehicle of  claim 4  further including a processor in electronic communication with said display and said optical input device. 
     
     
         6 . The vehicle of  claim 5  wherein said processor includes a memory device including an image of the control input without obstructions. 
     
     
         7 . The vehicle of  claim 4  wherein said optical input device is located in on of a seat headrest, headliner of the vehicle, rearview mirror and a headliner mounted instrument panel. 
     
     
         8 . The vehicle of  claim 4  wherein said control input is located on the center console of the vehicle. 
     
     
         9 . The vehicle of  claim 4  wherein said control input is a touch screen interface. 
     
     
         10 . A method of providing an image of an operators hand relative to a control panel within the line of sight of the vehicle operator comprising:
 providing a display;   providing an optical input device;   obtaining an actual image of the control panel with the optical input device;   providing the actual image of the control panel to the display.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  further including the step of storing an unobstructed image of the control panel before said step of obtaining an actual image of the control panel with the optical input device. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  further including the step of blending said actual image with said unobstructed image and outputting said blended image to the display. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10  wherein said control panel is a touch screen and further including the step of providing a mirror image of the display on the touch screen to the display. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10  further including the step of providing a processor. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein said control panel is a touch screen and further including the step of providing a mirror image of the touch screen to the processor. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14  further including the step of blending the actual image with the mirror image with said processor. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  further including the step of providing said blended image from said processor to said display. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 10  wherein said step of providing said actual image to said display further includes the step of providing said image to said processor and overlaying and adding an unobstructed image to said actual image to create a blended image. 
     
     
         19 . A method of providing an image of an operators hand relative to a control panel within the line of sight of the vehicle operator comprising:
 providing a display;   providing an optical input device;   providing a processor;   obtaining an actual image of the control panel with the optical input device;   providing the actual image of the control panel to the processor;   providing an unobstructed image of the control panel to the processor;   blending the actual image with the unobstructed image with the processor to create a blended imager; and   providing the blended image to the processor.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein said step of providing an unobstructed image of the control panel includes the steps of obtaining an unobstructed image of the control panel. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein said step of providing an unobstructed view of the image includes the step of storing the unobstructed view after said step of obtaining an unobstructed view. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19  wherein said step of blending the actual image further includes the step of providing the unobstructed image as a background image and layering over the actual image while maintaining the visibility of the unobstructed image.